I was wandering about these since they look at bit basic.
Would people recommend them over a BUCK lock knife?
Would people recommend them over a BUCK lock knife?
What are Opinels like?
- Thread starter Gotte
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Opinels are just perfectly functional cheap knives. My wife likes them. There are stainless blades now as well as the carbon steel variety. At home we keep an Opinel in a little tray on the kitchen table for opening packaging and things like that, but I'd never take it camping.
When you start talking about other makes you can go from less than a tenner to several hundred for what is essentially the same thing -- a folding knife. It really depends what floats your particular boat. I'm not the world's biggest fan of Opinels, but likewise, although there's nothing really wrong with them, most Buck folders don't really do it for me, and much as I hate to say it neither do some of the Wengers. I like some of the Buck fixed blade hunters, and my Victorinox SwissTool is probably my all time favourite tool although I'm not greatly enamoured of the knife blades on it (they just do the job) and a proper folder will always be more comfortable. Having said that I'm more interested in the materials, the construction and how it feels in the hand than in who made it. I prefer stainless blades, especially if I'm going to use them for food preparation and/or in the wet, which happens more often than I'd like I suppose. I like as small a blade as will do the job, most often full flat with very little convexity on the edge. For me it must have a lock for safety, and I like a back lock. As for the brand, usually it's whatever will get me a lasting product at a reasonable price. I have a couple of EKA folders (12c27 blades) that I wouldn't want to part with, and one of them usually goes camping with me. Most of the time I use a multi-tool because there's always one handy on my belt. They're not the cheapest way of getting a serviceable folding knife but they more than make up for it with their versatility.
Choosing most tools, and especially a knife, is a very personal thing. You need a good idea of what it will be asked to do. You really need to handle a few, maybe buy one that you think you'll like and use it for a while to see what you like and what you don't like about it in use. You might be lucky and fall in love -- I was lucky that way with the EKA -- but you might just not get on with it and have to put an ad in the classified section, then get one that you think is closer to your ideal. Think about what you're going to use it for. Think about shape and size, grind, lock type if it's folder, how it feels in the hand, maintenance. Oh, and think about the cost.
When you start talking about other makes you can go from less than a tenner to several hundred for what is essentially the same thing -- a folding knife. It really depends what floats your particular boat. I'm not the world's biggest fan of Opinels, but likewise, although there's nothing really wrong with them, most Buck folders don't really do it for me, and much as I hate to say it neither do some of the Wengers. I like some of the Buck fixed blade hunters, and my Victorinox SwissTool is probably my all time favourite tool although I'm not greatly enamoured of the knife blades on it (they just do the job) and a proper folder will always be more comfortable. Having said that I'm more interested in the materials, the construction and how it feels in the hand than in who made it. I prefer stainless blades, especially if I'm going to use them for food preparation and/or in the wet, which happens more often than I'd like I suppose. I like as small a blade as will do the job, most often full flat with very little convexity on the edge. For me it must have a lock for safety, and I like a back lock. As for the brand, usually it's whatever will get me a lasting product at a reasonable price. I have a couple of EKA folders (12c27 blades) that I wouldn't want to part with, and one of them usually goes camping with me. Most of the time I use a multi-tool because there's always one handy on my belt. They're not the cheapest way of getting a serviceable folding knife but they more than make up for it with their versatility.
Choosing most tools, and especially a knife, is a very personal thing. You need a good idea of what it will be asked to do. You really need to handle a few, maybe buy one that you think you'll like and use it for a while to see what you like and what you don't like about it in use. You might be lucky and fall in love -- I was lucky that way with the EKA -- but you might just not get on with it and have to put an ad in the classified section, then get one that you think is closer to your ideal. Think about what you're going to use it for. Think about shape and size, grind, lock type if it's folder, how it feels in the hand, maintenance. Oh, and think about the cost.
Easy to keep sharp, simple in operation, simple lock, very little to go wrong, easy to mod - I always have one on camp!
Buck - not my favourite by any means but they are popular with others...
Buck - not my favourite by any means but they are popular with others...
I had an opinel as my main knife before I was allowed a fixed blade and I used it do death, literally. The blade was so badly damaged from extended use and the handle just fell apart. It was a good knife though and I really liked it.
Biker
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Had a passing gander at this thread last night and saw something about glueing the locking mechanism into place... is this in an effort to disable it? Thus making it legal to carry in the UK? If so it seems to me a very dangerous practice given what I saw in the serious injury thread from an Opinel closing on some poor sod's finger. I still shudder thinking of that picture. At least with a spring loaded folder you have some measure of stability.
Anyway as regards Opinels I think they're pretty damned good. I have no experience with the Buck knife, but I do have a few other types of folding knives and to be honest they're all of the same class, yet to me the Opinel feels different, nicer somehow. Maybe it's that old school wooden handle and the cheap as chips price tag. Though I've never bought one brand new, the four I have were all bought at boot fairs here in France. I have 3 No. 9's and a No. 10 and though not used regualrly they feel as though they'd do pretty much any job you'd ask of them and come back for more.
I hear the carbon blades really kick off some sparks when used with a firesteel.
If there's any endorsement needed, pretty much all the people I know over here have an Opinel, even the women. Mind you you could ride bare-ar$ed to London on some of the cutting edges they have on them. They mostly use them to cut bread with at bar-b-ques.
My EDC is a double ended Opinel I modded from 2 No.8's and it does what I need it for, I use it mostly for whittling while on the dog walks.
Anyway as regards Opinels I think they're pretty damned good. I have no experience with the Buck knife, but I do have a few other types of folding knives and to be honest they're all of the same class, yet to me the Opinel feels different, nicer somehow. Maybe it's that old school wooden handle and the cheap as chips price tag. Though I've never bought one brand new, the four I have were all bought at boot fairs here in France. I have 3 No. 9's and a No. 10 and though not used regualrly they feel as though they'd do pretty much any job you'd ask of them and come back for more.
I hear the carbon blades really kick off some sparks when used with a firesteel.
If there's any endorsement needed, pretty much all the people I know over here have an Opinel, even the women. Mind you you could ride bare-ar$ed to London on some of the cutting edges they have on them. They mostly use them to cut bread with at bar-b-ques.
My EDC is a double ended Opinel I modded from 2 No.8's and it does what I need it for, I use it mostly for whittling while on the dog walks.
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Good reliable handy penknife & lightweight, not to mention you're holding a piece of tradition, they were first made in the late 1890's by Mr. Opinel in a family run workshop (1901 the first Opinel factory) & have changed very little since then. I wouldn't recommend taking the lock off or glueing it as has been mentioned, I 'll leave it to your imaginations as to what happens when the blade 'accidently' closes while your using it.......I don't think the constabulary will press charges if you are found in possesion of an opinel # 7 or less especially in a camping/bushcraft context....conserving one's forefinger may be more important than avoiding any hypothetical criminal charges.
The Opinel is a great little jack of all trades & master of none, by that I mean don't expect it to do something that is beyond it's capabilities.
The Opinel is a great little jack of all trades & master of none, by that I mean don't expect it to do something that is beyond it's capabilities.
So general consensus is they are a great knife for the cost they are.
I presume the Number 6 size is the best one to get for around camp?
Which is better as a working knife stainless steel or Carbon steel?
I have a Bowie for more heavy duty work.
I presume the Number 6 size is the best one to get for around camp?
Which is better as a working knife stainless steel or Carbon steel?
I have a Bowie for more heavy duty work.
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No.6 for me too
A small wooden board , my no.6, some French bread, some donkey meat and a handful of olives
Lunch fit for a Gaulish king
Sack
A small wooden board , my no.6, some French bread, some donkey meat and a handful of olives
Lunch fit for a Gaulish king
Sack
suburban bushwacker
Full Member
You will find that for the Opinel to reach its full potential you'll need to grease the blade with the fat of a rustic salami, a slicing action seemed to work best.
Nerdy Opinel Fact - the tapping of a stiff opinel on its end to release the blade is called Le coup du Savoyard
Nerdy Opinel Fact - the tapping of a stiff opinel on its end to release the blade is called Le coup du Savoyard
Here's a photo of an Opinel number 7 carbon in my hand.
http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/misc/opinel.jpg
My hands aren't small but it's not a big knife. I think it's as fine a blade as ever you'll see. These are good pocket knives but I'd want something bigger if it had to do any serious woodwork, build a shelter, that kind of thing. If you have bigger tools then a small blade is better for the more delicate tasks, but consider the size of the handle as well as the size of the blade. I find a small handle uncomfortable in extended use. This particular knife lives on the kitchen table and never really goes anywhere.
http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/misc/opinel.jpg
My hands aren't small but it's not a big knife. I think it's as fine a blade as ever you'll see. These are good pocket knives but I'd want something bigger if it had to do any serious woodwork, build a shelter, that kind of thing. If you have bigger tools then a small blade is better for the more delicate tasks, but consider the size of the handle as well as the size of the blade. I find a small handle uncomfortable in extended use. This particular knife lives on the kitchen table and never really goes anywhere.
Ah...another connoiseur...rustic salami = donkey meat
...perhaps mixed with a little goat But not in this country (alas)
'You will find that for the Opinel to reach its full potential you'll need to grease the blade with the fat of a rustic salami, a slicing action seemed to work best.
Nerdy Opinel Fact - the tapping of a stiff opinel on its end to release the blade is called Le coup du Savoyard'
Nerdy Opinel Fact - the tapping of a stiff opinel on its end to release the blade is called Le coup du Savoyard'
suburban bushwacker
Full Member
Ah...another connoiseur...rustic salami = donkey meat
But not in this country (alas)
You've had the Mortadella then? Donkey is good eating. And yes little goats are better.
it's easy enough to just pop the lock off though. Ones with 3 inch blades and less (No6 and below) don't slip much as well.
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